Deputy Jeremiah K. Johnson is remembered by the Emery County Sheriff's Office for his dedication and honesty.
"He was a very good person — dedicated to his family, dedicated to his work. If he told you something, you could believe him," Sheriff LaMar Guymon said Tuesday night.
Guymon hired Johnson 6 1/2 years ago. But Tuesday morning, Johnson, 30, was killed in an accident. He was driving from Ferron to Castle Dale, where he was returning to the sheriff's office to check out for the day. It was the end of his shift, Guymon said.
Johnson was driving his police vehicle, a 1999 Dodge Durango, north on U-10 near milepost 36 outside Orangeville about 6:30 a.m. His vehicle crossed the highway and struck a semitrailer truck, killing him, a Utah Highway Patrol statement said.
The driver of the semi, Jeffery Scott Olson, 46, Price, received minor injuries. Both drivers were wearing seat belts. Excessive speed was not a factor. The UHP is determining why Johnson crossed into the south lane, UHP spokeswoman Tammy Palmer said.
"At this point there's no indication of why that happened," Palmer said.
Johnson leaves behind a wife and three young children.
A trust fund has been established for Johnson's children. It is under his name at Zions Bank.
E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com